2013: A Braamfontein start with a practical brief
RentThisWall began in Braamfontein in 2013, when the team focused on a gap that was obvious to anyone trying to place outdoor advertising across South Africa. Property owners had walls, facades and billboard sites that could be used for promotion, while advertisers needed a clear way to find suitable space without chasing loose leads all over the place. The early work was hands-on: gathering site details, confirming who controlled each property, and setting out the basics of consent and local bylaw checks before any booking moved forward.
Those first months shaped the business culture. The team learned quickly that outdoor advertising is not only about visible spaces, it is about access, timing, approvals and the details that keep a campaign moving. Load-shedding, coastal humidity, access restrictions and site-specific install conditions all had to be considered from the start. It was practical work, and it still is.
2014 to 2016: Building trust with owners and advertisers
As more listings came in, the business refined how it handled property owner onboarding and advertiser brief matching. This period was about making the process easier without cutting corners. Site photos needed to be clear, listing copy had to be accurate, and availability had to be kept up to date so that both sides could make decisions with less back-and-forth. A missed detail can delay a campaign, so the team kept tightening the process year by year.
During these years, the business also developed its approach to consent check guidance and municipal bylaw support. Outdoor signage is never just a matter of putting up a board and calling it done. Property owner consent is required, and local municipal bylaw approval matters too. The team made sure that this part of the process stayed visible from the start, especially for sites in busy parts of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein.
- Space listing setup became more structured, with clearer site details and cleaner matching between brief and location.
- Site photo curation improved, giving advertisers a better sense of the wall, surrounding area and placement options.
- Listing renewal support helped owners keep active sites available without starting over each time.
2017 to 2019: Expanding beyond Johannesburg
Once the foundation was in place, RentThisWall extended its work beyond Braamfontein into wider Johannesburg, then into Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein. The team had to work across very different site conditions. A wall in Sandton can come with different access needs and approvals from a site in Midrand, while coastal sites in Durban need extra care around corrosion and weather exposure. That kind of variety is part of the trade, and it pushed the business to become more organised.
These were also the years when installation scheduling and booking coordination became a bigger part of the service mix. Campaigns rarely happen on a simple timeline. Artwork has to be checked against specs, installation dates need to line up with access windows, and property owners need clear communication. The team kept developing its process so that advertisers could plan with less stress and owners could manage their sites properly.
By the end of this period, the business had established itself as a marketplace rather than a one-off listing service. That shift mattered. It meant the focus was not just on finding space, but on connecting the right site with the right brief and keeping the full process moving in a sensible order.
2020 to 2021: Staying steady through changing conditions
When business conditions became less predictable, the value of a well-managed marketplace became even clearer. Teams needed reliable ways to work through changing timelines, restricted movement and tighter site access. RentThisWall kept its attention on availability management, campaign monitoring and listing updates so that both owners and advertisers could stay informed. The work was not glamorous, but it was necessary, and it kept campaigns from falling apart at the edges.
During this stage, the business also leaned harder into clear communication. Advertisers needed to know what could be installed, what could be approved and what needed revision. Property owners needed confidence that their site would be handled carefully and that any installation planning would fit the property rules. That steady way of working became one of the company’s strengths. There were no shortcuts, only careful follow-through.
2022 to 2023: A stronger operating team
As the marketplace matured, the team behind it became more specialised. By this stage, RentThisWall had clear responsibilities across operations, owner relations, advertiser support, logistics, content, and municipal compliance. That structure helped the company handle more listings while keeping each site properly checked. It also meant that enquiries could be handled with better accuracy from the first contact to final booking coordination.
- Anele Dlamini took the lead on marketplace operations, keeping the listing flow and internal handovers organised.
- Ruan van Wyk focused on property owner relations, which helped strengthen site supply and communication.
- Lerato Molefe supported advertisers so briefs could be matched more cleanly to suitable spaces.
- Musa Khumalo coordinated logistics and scheduling, while Bianca Naidoo handled content and listing detail.
- Pieter Smit kept municipal compliance support practical and up to date, which matters a lot when bylaws differ from one area to another.
This period made the business feel more complete. Each part of the process had a person behind it, and that showed in how the work was handled. The result was less confusion and better follow-through for everyone involved.
Today: A South African marketplace with local know-how
Today, RentThisWall operates from Braamfontein, Johannesburg, while serving advertisers and property owners across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein, with work often reaching Sandton and Midrand too. The business still follows the same practical idea it started with in 2013, but the process is now more refined. Owners can list space, advertisers can search and compare options, and both sides can move through the booking process with clearer support.
The services now cover space listing setup, site photo curation, listing copywriting, availability management, brief matching, booking coordination, consent check guidance, bylaw process support, artwork spec checks, installation scheduling, campaign monitoring and listing renewal support. That combination matters because outdoor and wall advertising is not one-step work. It needs proper handling from the first enquiry to the last update, especially where property consent and municipal approval are part of the process.
Looking back, the history is not about one big moment. It is about steady growth, better systems and a stronger understanding of what South African outdoor advertising needs in real life. The company has grown by paying attention to the details that keep sites usable, legal and ready for booking. That is still the focus today, and it’s what keeps the marketplace working.